Coming on the back of new measures announced at the National Day Rally, Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan Toa-Payoh GRC and Tin Pei Ling, MP for MacPherson SMC share their first-hand accounts of bread and butter issues such as rising costs of living, as well as challenges behind building up retirement adequacy. 

Presented by: Lynlee Foo

This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:57) Pei Ling - as PM Lee said, cost of living is on everyone’s minds. We understand that a significant proportion of your residents at MacPherson are elderly - now, what are their reactions and feedback to PM’s latest announcements? 

(02:23) How challenging will do you think it will be for the implementation of such infrastructural enhancements, especially for the older estates especially?

(03:39) Saktiandi, bringing you in here. Through the new Majulah Package - those 50 years and older, will be getting CPF bonuses to help them meet their retirement needs. You’re a trained economist - tell us, with inflation now in the picture, how would you rate this segment’s retirement adequacy based on your interactions with residents as you walk the ground? 

(05:12) How much, really, is needed for retirement? And how would you compare our CPF system with other pension systems in other parts of the world? 

(06:32) Pei Ling - we know that support for families is close to your heart - one of the key issues you’ve talked about in Parliament on multiple occasions. In line with what PM mentioned about tackling elderly loneliness, and encouraging active ageing - what are the gaps you see, and what can be improved through government initiatives? 

(09:32) The topic of housing also featured in a big way during the NDR. Saktiandi - National Development Minister Desmond Lee has also announced the $14,000 income ceiling for families and singles to buy Plus flats on the resale market. How far will the new measures help in keeping public housing affordable? Afterall, demand for housing is rising, and market forces are challenging to contain.

(12:00) What is one key message you hope Singaporeans can take away from PM’s National Day Rally, and what will you personally be working on with your residents in the coming months?